Implement for loosening bottle stoppers



y 1932. J. 0. PATTERSON 1,866,125

IMPLEMENT EOR LOOSENING BQT'I:LE STOPPERS Filed Sept. 30, 1931 J1- J1. J1

I Patented July 5, 19 32 I UNITED sr-A'rssf PATENT or'rics common use ronmosanme Bo'r'rm norms Application filed September 80, 1931. Serial No. 566,982.

.This invention relates to an implement for facilitatin the removal of stoppers from bottles an the like, more'particularly the ground-glass stoppers of bottles whicharein by chemists, pharmacists and others. Such stoppers, which differ in size and shape, jammed in the necks of the bottles to such an extent that the application of great force is required to efiect their removal, thus causing much trouble and delay, and necessitating sometimes the breaking of bottles.

The object of my invention is to provide an implement of simple, cheap and durable construction which can be readily applied to bottles having stoppers of various sizes and shapes and can be efliciently manipulated ,to start orloosen the stoppers.

The invention, generally stated, compr ses a stopper-loosening implement embodying two supporting members, oppositely-inclined wedges thereon having acting faces of corresponding angularity, and means for effecting relative movement of said members toward and from each other in a rectilinear path, the parts being so constructed and organized that the supports and their wedges can be positioned at diametrically-opposite sides of a stoppered bottle and relatively actuated to cause the acting faces of the wedges to apply eflective lifting force to the stopper, thus ensuring equality of stress and symmetry of application on the opposite sides of the bottle and stopper.

The invention also comprises a construction wherein there is provided cooperating supporting means on the supporting members and the wedges whereby interchangeable pairs of wedges of difi'erent 'formation can be used, or the wedges adjusted, to meet the requirements of stoppers of different shapes and sizes. 1

The invention also comprises features of novelty and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described; the scope of the invention then being expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan of a stopper loosener embodying a form of my invention,

frequently become stuck or I the implement being shown as applied to a stoppered bottle.

Fig.2isalon 'tudinal section of the imple ment as applie -to the bottle.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the implement.

Fig. {l illustrates in section several forms of wedge-blocks that may be interchangeably used in connection with the implement.

Fig. 5 is a section of a modified form of the block supporting heads and their blocks as applied to a stoppered bottle."

Fig. 6 is-Va perspective view of one of the modified heads.

Fig. 7 is a section of another modified form of the block supporting heads and their blocks as applied to a stoppered bottle.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the heads shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 illustrates in section several forms of wedge-blocks for use in connection with the heads shown in Figs. 7 and- 8.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates two relatively movable heads of proper shape and size for their intended purpose, which heads are designed respectively to support complementary wedge blocks 11, preferably of hard wood.

In the form of the implement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 each of the heads is provided on its inner face with spaced parallel pins 12 and each of the wedge blocks is formed with spaced sockets or holes 13 for the reception of the pins, thus enabling wedge blocks of different size or angularity to be readily applied to or removed from the head, as desired; it being noted that pairs of interchangeablewedge blocks of proper formation, such as illustrated in Fig. 4, are furnished to meet the requirements of stoppers of different size and shape.

One of the heads 10 which I have termed the fixed head has fixed thereto spaced parallel guide rods 14 which extend slidably through and beyond correspondingly spaced guide openings 15 in the other head which have termed the movable head, the outer ends f of the rods being threaded into or otherwise secured to a rigid connecting bar 16. A tapped hole 17 at the mid-portion of this bar receives av screw rod 18, the inner end of which is rotatably connected to the adjacent head '10, as at 19. Theouter end of the rod 18 is provided with a suitable handle 20, by means of which the screw rod can be conveniently actuated to move the two heads and their respective wedge blocks in a rectilinear path toward or from each other, as desired.

In the practical use of the implement just described, complementar wedge blocks 11 of predetermined size an shape are applied to the supporting ins 12 of the respective heads 10. The im ement is then positioned with the noses of tiie associated wedge blocks in proximity to the bottle lip at the opposite sides of the stopper head, and the screw rod 18 is actuated to set the. wedge blocks with their noses between and in contact with the opposing surfaces of the 1i and the stopger. Continuing the rotation o the screw ro a uniform'liftin g force is applied to the stopper at diametrically-opposite points of contact by the beveled surfaces of Y the advancing wedge blocks, thus effectually starting or loosening the stopper, and this without any liability of breakage since there is not'only equality of stress but also symmetry of application on the opposite sides of the bottle and sto per.

11 Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a modification wherein the heads 10 are provided with suitably-formed recesses 21 adapted to receive and support the selected wedge blocks. Each recess has in its bottom an upstanding peg 120 and the block is drilled, as at 130, so that it may be slid on the peg and thereby securely, yet detachably, held in place within the recess.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a modifiedconstruction wherein the wedge blocks can be vertically adjusted tovary the distance between their beveled surfaces and the top of the bottle as requirements may demand. In this construction the heads 10 are bifurcated as shown and are provided at their lower portions with inwardly projecting shelves 22 adapted to be imposed on the lip of the bottle. Each head is formed with suitably-disposed guides 23 for a vertically-adjustable slide body 24 upon which the wedge block is supported, and a vertical thumb screw 25 is threaded through the said body and stepped in a socket in the opposing portion of the head. By properly turning the thumb screw the slide body and its associated wedge block can be nicely adjusted to vary the distance between the nose of the block and the shelf 22, asoccasion may require. In the present instance the slide body is formed with a blocksupporting shelf 26 parallel with the basal shelf 22 and is also provided with inwardly projecting pegs 27 for entry into suitablydisposed sockets or holes in the adjacent part of the block, thus permitting the use of interchangeable blocks havingFdiiferent effective angles, such as shown in ig. 9.

n other respects the implement may be modified within the rincip e of the invention and the scope of t e appended claims.

I claim- 1. An implement for the purpose described comprising two supporting members each having on its inner face spaced paraling therein a recess, upstanding pins in the floor of said recess a pair of wedges having oppositely-inclined actin surfaces of corresponding angularit andiaving suitably arranged apertures or the reception of said pins, guide means for said members, and means for effecting relative movement of said members toward and from each other.

3. A device for the purpose described comrising two sup rtmg members, stopperfting wedges t ereon having oppositelyinclined acting surfaces of corresgonding angularity, means for vertically a justing said wedges, and means for effecting relative movement of said members toward and from each other.

4. A device for the purpose described comprising two heads vertical slides therein, stopper-lifting wedges detachably supported on the res ective slides, said wed es having oppositeFy-inclined acting sur aces of corresponding angularit means for vertically adjusting said slides, and means for effecting relative movement of said heads toward and from each other.

5. An implement for the urpose de scribed comprisin two opposed supporting members, guides or said supporting members, a pair of opposed stopper lifting members removably mounted on the supporting members, cooperating supporting means on the supporting members and the stopper lifting members independent of the guides, whereby various shaped lifting members may be applied to the supporting members without removing either of the supporting members from the guides, and means for actuatin the stopper lifting members to exert a li in force on a stop r.

6. in implement or the urpose described comprisin two opposed supporting members, guides or said supporting members, a pair of opposed stopper lifting members removably mounted on the supporting members, the supporting members and stopper lifting members havin cooperating pins and pin openings indepen ent of the guides for supporting'the sto per lifting members, whereby various shape lifting members may be applied to the supporting members without removing either of the supporting members from the guides, and means for actuating the stopper lifting members to exert a lifting-force on .a stopper.

7. implement or the (purpose described comprising two oppose supporting members, guides for said supporting members, a pair of opposed stopper lifting members removably mounted on the supporting members, pins on the supporting members, there being openings in stopper lifting members for the reception of ins, whereby various shaped lifting mem ers may be applied to the supporting members without removin either of the supporting members from t e guides, and means for actuatin the stopper lifting members to exert a li ing force on a stopper.

8. An implement of the class described comprising a fixed head, a pair of spaced guides extending therefrom, a connecting bar secured to the other ends of the guides, a movable head supported on the guides between the fixed head and the connecting bar, a wedge block carried by the fixed head extending toward the movable head, a wedge block carried by the'movable head extending towards the first wedge block, and means for moving the movable head and its wedge block towards the fixed head.

9. An implement of the class described comprising a fixed head, a pair of spaced guides extending therefrom, a connecting bar secured to the other ends of the guides, a movable head supported on the guides -between the fixed head and the connecting bar,

a wedge block carried by the fixed head extending toward the movable head, a wedge block carried by the movable head extending towards the first wedge block, and means for moving'the movable head and its wedge block towards and from the fixed head.

10. An implement of the class described comprising a fixed head, a pair of spaced guides extending therefrom, a connecting ar secured to the other ends of the ides, a movable head supported on the gui s between the fixed head and the connecting bar, a wedge block carried b pins on the fixed head extending toward t e movable head, a wed block carried by ins on the movable he extending towardb the first wedge block, and means for moving the movable lfieag and its wedge block towards the fixed 11. An implement for the urpose described comprising a fixed head, a air of spaced guide rods extending there om, a connecting bar connected to the other ends of the rods, a movable head slidably mounted on said guide rods, a stopper lifting wedge removably supported on each head inde- JAMES o. ra'rrnnson. 

